Nadine Lustre’s boyfriend Christophe Bariou bravely shared the intense and challenging journey he faced in his battle against cancer.

On Tuesday, June 6, 2023, Christophe mustered the courage to disclose on Instagram his profound and personal account of his battle with cancer.

Through a gallery of photos, Christophe provided a glimpse into his arduous journey of undergoing chemotherapy and his subsequent recovery in France.

In the caption, Christophe acknowledged that he was initially reluctant to share his journey on social media, expressing his desire to avoid any perception of victimhood or sympathy-seeking.

He wrote, “This was something I never thought I’d share at all on social media.

“Maybe I never did because I preferred not to be seen as the victim or to use this illness to appeal for pity.

“And while I was successfully overcoming it, I saw many around me losing their lives trying to, so it didn’t feel right to talk about myself.

“But around 3 years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer and I was told I only had a few weeks left to live.

“I experienced the darkest sensation of fear, which is something I thought I had already known because it wasn’t the first time I was in a life-threatening situation.

“But this was different. The enemy was invisible and deep inside my own body – a body that I never doubted before, at the age of 27.”

Overwhelmed by anger and frustration, he was haunted by thoughts of what might never be: the joy of a family and the fulfillment of his lifelong dreams.

Christophe admitted, “There is no shame in acknowledging I was scared but I was also angry and frustrated at life.

“I thought, I’ll never have kids, my own family, or finish what I started in Siargao. I will never get my first barrel surfing. Why is this happening to me? Why me?

“I felt so full of life and suddenly finding out I had a couple weeks left to live was devastating… to say the least.

“At that point, I was about to choose to stay put in Siargao, live the best I could out of my last days and not even bother trying to cure myself since I thought there was not much hope left.”

getting treatment

After considering accepting his fate, Christophe discovered an opportunity for treatment from doctors in France.

“A couple days later, while trying my best to accept my fate between fear, anxiety, anger and frustration, I learned from other doctors that there was a chance to heal but I had to drop everything, leave immediately, and go back to France to a specialized hospital.

“They discovered I had a very rare type of lymphoma and even mentioned it was so rare they had no statistics of survival but that they were still hopeful and my 6 month treatment started.”

Thanks to the French healthcare system, he received exceptional treatment without any cost.

Following two months of intense chemotherapy and immunotherapy, he successfully achieved full remission.

Christophe gratefully acknowledged his fortune in receiving exceptional treatment at no cost, courtesy of the French healthcare system.

He expressed, “Not only was I lucky enough to benefit from the best treatments available from the leading cancer research center in Europe, but all of this was completely free of charge thanks to the rights the French fought for.

“It just makes me think how unfair it can be in other countries when something as bad as this hits.”

Continuing his post in the comments section, Christophe shared further details, unveiling the challenging path he embarked on for two months. This eventually proved to be worth all the hardship and sacrifice.

He wrote, “After only 2 months of intense chemotherapy and immunotherapy, I was in full remission.”

second chance at life

Through this difficult journey, Christophe realized his life goals remained unchanged. He aimed to bounce back quickly and pursue his aspirations with even more intention and motivation.

The experience made him realize how fleeting life can be and how important it is to live mindfully. It also inspired him to advocate for spreading kindness and recognizing the value of all life.

“Something I learned from this, going through all the terrible side effects of the chemo, is that despite everything, my life goals did not change at all.

“I wanted to get back on my feet as fast as possible and continue everything I started, but with more intention and even more motivation.

“When it comes to advocacies, it was a brutal reminder that life is fleeting. We do not have the luxury to wander and be mindless.

“I want to be mindful and conscious in every action. The best I can do is to lessen the suffering and cruelty around me, and promote kindness and compassion towards all forms of life – human and non-human.”

Encouraging his followers, Christophe emphasized the need to embrace these values without waiting for a crisis, living a life free of regrets.

“Our lives are way too precious to be wasted. In the same breath, other lives are too sacred to be robbed from them, too.

“I have no pretension of changing the world or saying anything revolutionary but simply hoping some readers will realize they should not wait for life to hit them hard to realize all of this.

“I can make mistakes, I can make bad decisions but one thing I never want to have again is regrets. Live and let live.”

As he reached the end of his post, Christophe sincerely expressed his deep gratitude to everyone who played a part in his life during this challenging period, acknowledging their unwavering support with heartfelt appreciation.

He said, “I can never thank enough everyone who supported me during these tough times – my partner at the time, my family and my friends.”